Triple Talents
by kateydidnt
Summary: Three orphans...seperated for eleven years...strange occurances... a thief ...a slave...and a page... more will be explained about Page Taro in future chapters
1. Freedom Come

Author's Note: Half-way through writing this, I realized it had similarities to the fic on here Hanging On

Author's Note: Half-way through writing this, I realized it had similarities to the fic on here _Hanging On_.I apologize to the author, I don't think I've stolen any major plot points from that wonderfully written story.Istopped reading it to make sure I don't end up inadvertently copying, but I think my story is different enough from that one.

Disclaimer: A bunch of this stuff belongs to Tamora Pierce.Malvina and Carpathos are mine.

**Triple Talent**

"Malvina! Get up here now! I've warned you about dawdling.If Clanth finds out he'll give you another beating!" Sombra's piercing voice carried down the stairs to the cellar where Malvina was sitting.

"Coming Sombra!" she answered gathering up the flour sacks she'd been sent to fetch.Arriving in the kitchen she found a very harried Sombra.

"Girl you'd best get to work, Master Clanth has gueststonight.You're to freshen up the guest quarters, thorough, mind you.You're also to wait on the lady.

"Wonderful, lucky me," she mumbled trudging up to the right wing of rooms that served as the guest facilities of the Carthaki noble's castle."The Lady" turned out to be the sixteen-year-old daughter of Linshu Alak, well known advisor and supporter of Emporer Kaddar.Linshu's wife had died a number of years ago and now his daughter, Lady Tamana, acted as his hostess.Dinner went over well, except for the fact that every time Malvina looked up, she saw Linshu studying her.She was glad to escape his sight as she led Tamana to her rooms.

"If the Lady requires anything she need only ring the bell for this unworthy one's service," Malvina gave the slave bow and exited the room.It made her blood boil every time she had to speak in such a way, every time she had to make submissions, to be subservient to another.But she knew if she didn't Clanth would find out and she'd pay.

Malvina had been born free.Her mother was dead, her father unknown, and so she and her siblings had been raised by their aunt.Carthaki armies had turned her world up-side down when she was five.Her entire village had been taken and then sold into slavery.She'd neither seen nor heard from anyone she'd once known for the past eleven years.

But she remembered freedom and longed for it.

She'd tried running away; three times she had planned carefully and worked to perfect her tactics.Three times her plans had been foiled and she had received such wounds as she'd never had before for her efforts.

The next morning she awoke to the unpleasant face of Clanth."I'm finally rid of you girl.I've sold you to; you're Lady Tamana's personal attendant."

So that was why Linshu had been looking at her.He wanted someone to tend his daughter.

'Up now!" Clanth grabbed her arm and wrenched her up into a sitting position.An hour later she found herself seated beside the driver of a carriage.Her new mistress rode inside, her new master mounted on horseback beside, bound for Carthak City.

@-----

"Carpathos, you're a wonder!" Ariadne exclaimed, examining his latest hull.

"I know, too bad there's no Court of the Rogue anymore. I'd be king for sure."

Ever since the last king- George- had given up the street-life and become a noble there was no Court anymore.They were all loosely connected, but they worked mostly in small groups.No longer ruled by a king they had less rules.

"Right, they'd love to have a sixteen-year-old king," the girl rolled her eyes, "So who'd ya nick this off'a?"She indicated the money pouch, the case of gemstones and travel packs that sat on the table before them.

Carpathos shrugged, "Some noble stupid enough not to put warding spell on his stuff in this district.'

Ariadne was admiring the gems one by one while Carpathos counted the money in the pouch.He whistled, this would feed them for months.He and Ariadne had been friends since they had been slave in the Emporer's palace and escaped together six years ago.He'd been ten at the time and she fourteen.They'd come into contact with Lindhall Reed, a mage at the Imperial University , who also helped slaves escape.They'd been lucky, only months after they'd left Lindhall Reed had left the country himself.

Carpathos rummaged through the travel sacks, taking a bite out of some bread.He laughed as he pulled out the change of clothes he found.Some very _long_ breeches; a man who wore them must be part giant.

Ariadne joined him, picking up a leather pouch on a string.She drew out its contents.A white crystal, shining with every hue, lay in the palm of her hand.Ariadne knew her powers of the Gift were weak, but even she could feel the power in this artifact. A gasp escaped her lips.

"Hmm?" Carpathos looked up from the scroll he was studying.

"Who did you steal thins from?" Ariadne asked in a fierce voice.

Carpathos shrugged, "Like I told ya'; some careless noble.I don't know who it was.Maybe there's a name in one of these scrolls.This one just has a bunch of foreign gibberish in it."

He rummaged around and pulled out another and began to read it.His eyes widened in horror as he absorbed its contents.

Ariadne looked over his shoulder.

"You fool! You pick-pocketed the most powerful mage in the realm and stole the Dominion Jewel!"


	2. Powerful Gift

Author's Note: Sorry, my summary before said a Squire, but I meant to put Page, sorry for the confusion (I'd just finished rea

Author's Note: Sorry, my summary before said a Squire, but I meant to put Page, sorry for the confusion (I'd just finished reading _Squire_ for the umpteenth time) anyway, thank you so much I love all my reviewers!( Bows submission to those wonderful, wonderful people).Also I think I've done the math right so Lord Wyldon is still the training master-it is his last year just before Vinson and Joren fail the Ordeal of knighthood.

** **

**Triple Talent**

Taro of Wellam, third year page, tossed in his bed.It was bad enough that he got beaten half to death everyday in training, but now he couldn't get to sleep.The sixteen year old finally gave up.He went to his desk and started working on some unfinished class work.If he were caught awake he'd be in a pickle, but it wasn't his fault he was an insomniac.After finishing up his math problems he pulled out the latest letter from his parents.

_Taro,_

_We are pleased with the reports we have from Lord Wyldon.You make us proud.Your Grandfather, Lord Magistrate Turomot, is also very pleased.We have some news you might not wish to hear; the King has asked us to return to Carthak.Not as University Scholars this time, but as royal ambassadors.It seems they wish to form a more stable alliance with Emperor Kaddar.Although the relations between our two countries are better than they have ever been in living memory, their majesties would now like a more permanent friendship, now that Kaddar has his country back on its feet, mostly anyway.You will continue your tenure as a page.We know you would rather return to Carthak and search for your friends, but you will not.Do not worry, we shall search for them.We have as much a chance of finding them as you do.Master Numair has also written to us to inform us of his pleasure in teaching a student so Gifted as yourself.You are our only child, our pride and our joy.You are a great tribute to our family._

_Gods bless,_

_Mother and Father_

He sighed, now he really was tired.He crawled into bed and quickly fell asleep, dreaming of the Carthak he had known as a child.

The next morning Taro awoke only when his servant brought him his water.He'd somehow managed to sleep through the morning bell.After a bleary-eyed breakfast, Taro wasn't a morning person especially after loosing sleep, Taro was about to join the other pages for morning training when Lord Wyldon, followed by Numair Salmalin approached him.

"Page Taro, you are excused until lunch, your services are requested by Master Salmalin," the training master told him stiffly.

As Taro followed the mage he wondered why he was needed.They ended up in a room where the King, the Lioness and her Squire, and Tkaa the basilisk were gathered.

"Jon, Page Taro of Wellam.His powers, though without the same training, are equal to or possibly even greater than my own," Numair announced as he presented Taro.

Taro bowed, his mind stunned with Numair's pronouncement.He could see the others in the room were just as stunned.However the king recovered, "Very well, we can use all the help we can get.Page Taro, we need your Gift to help us find the Dominion Jewel, it has been stolen."


	3. Plans and Discoveries

Oh, I love all my reviewers

Oh, I love all my reviewers!

COTA: Thanks!Although I think I might disappoint you by not having a rivalry between Numair and Taro, that's just not part of _this_ plot.

Lady Iris: Thanks, I just hope later chapters don't disappoint you.

Lady and vortex: Lady, I will explain in this chapter that they can't find the Jewel because …well, read it. And oh-patient-vortex (bows ceremoniously) teach Lady that the men in white are her friends. J

Syphon: Thanks for the compliments, but as you will find out Carpathos isn't exactly a common thief, though he believes he is.

~Tasidia~: Sorry, it takes me forever to get chapters up because my parents only allow me a short time on the computer everyday, and most of the time I'd rather _read_ other people's stuff than use my oh-so-slow typing skills to write my own.And with school in full swing now…Please be patient.

Pobfe2: I will continue! Thanks for reading.

Kylia: Thanks, hope you enjoy the rest as much.

SultanaChick: Thanks! Keep up your wonderful reviews and I'll try to live up to them!

Vulpix of the Loony Bin: Odd name.But anyway! I'll probably disappoint you in saying that Numair doesn't really get in trouble because the thief…uh…gets in trouble for it.This story is about the thief, the page and the slave, not really about Numair.

Larzdinn: Thanks, I like picking names for my characters.Why Numair had the jewel will be explained.

Mysterious Dark Eyed Wanderer: Thanks for the offers, I might take you up on them.Why Taro is older will be explained more fully in later chapters, as for now think about the letter from his parents and read this chapter.

Aliya: Thanks!

Dark Fortuna: By now I hope you've had a chance to read chapter 2.

One Note: In the first chapter, the part with Malvina, takes place a few weeks before the rest.Obviously the second chapter takes place the morning after Carpathos steals the Dominion Jewel.In this chapter it is still the day after the jewel is stolen for all three.

Without further ado, enjoy Chapter 3!

Malvina sighed as she watched her mistress leave to go to another court function.Lady Tamana was better than Clanth, but what did that matter? a slave, was a slave.At least here she actually got to hear what was really going on in the empire and abroad. Deep down she hoped that there might be some possible way to learn of escape routes.She'd heard of Tortall, where slavery was outlawed, and of Lindhall Reed, who had once helped slaves escape from Carthak.She walked through the servant halls to the mess.As she ate her breakfast porridge she listened to the gossip: who was here, who wasn't, who was courting who, what the Emperor was doing, how the marriage negotiations were going…on and on.Malvina sifted through it in her head trying to gauge what was true based on what she overheard Tamana and Linshu saying at times.

"New ambassadors are coming from Tortall, I hear that they were at the imperial university while Ozorne ruled," she heard the men just two seats down from her say.She glanced at him, he caught her eye, read her skepticism, and then started talking again, "It's true, I was cleaning out the old ambassador's quarters, he left two years ago and we haven't had an official envoy since.Anyway, I heard Linshu and another noble talking about it in the next room.

A few minutes later Malvina returned to her room to clean and mend until her mistress returned.Lady Tamana returned accompanied by two other ladies of her same age.Malvina knew that she should not show herself until Tamana called for her, so she listened from where she was.

"They have a son who is sixteen years old.But he will not accompany his parents because he is training to be a knight in Tortall." Malvina didn't recognize the voice as one of Tamana's usual circle.

"Well, I wish they would bring him along.I met him when we were twelve.They only returned to Tortall three years ago.He was at the University with his parents, Taro was his name."

"What was he like?" Lady Tamana asked.

"Quiet, bookish, you're usual scholar.But he was handsome, white skin, bronzed by the sun, dark curly brown hair, and a perfect face, not a blemish."

Malvina heard the other two sigh longingly.

"It was odd, I remember he was quite outspoken on the subject of slavery."

"Why is that odd? All northerners are," said a voice scornfully.

"Ah, but Regan, his parents had once purchased a slave as a companion for the boy when he was younger.He and the slave had been where they weren't supposed to be in the old palace, the same night it collapsed, Taro escaped barely alive but the slave died."

"How romantic, but how did you find all this out!" said Lady Regan.

"His mother told mine years ago, just after it happened, before I ever met him."

"Come on, let's go find Lady Harrietta and ask her what she knows, she somehow hears all the good gossip," Lady Tamana suggested.

Malvina heard the three leaving.

~~***~~

"Would you quit harping on the subject!What do you want me to do, drop it by the palace with a note saying 'Sorry, didn't mean to steal this, but I'll keep the rest,' Ariadne, can you imagine what they'd do to us!"Carpathos shouted.Neither he nor Ariadne had slept well that night with the worry that the King's Own was going to burst in the door any moment.

"Well, what should we do?"Ariadne shot back tartly.

"I don't know," he said frustrated, running his fingers through his shortly cropped black hair.He glanced at the small, unimposing, leather bag which held the source of all the trouble, "Maybe we should just throw it out," he suggested lamely.

"Yeah, good idea.You know full well that Jonathan is a good king, he hardly bothers us at all.So you want to drop the jewel somewhere so someone else can pick it up and over throw him," Ariadne crossed her arms and glared at him.

Carpathos sighed and racked his brains, finally he came up with an idea, "Ariadne, how much do you trust Myles?"

"Implicitly, why?"

"He should be at the Dancing Dove tonight, he is every Tuesday night for a drink.If I can get it to either him or Eleni I think we should be okay," Carpathos said slowly.

"Do you think it will work?"

"I hope so.Meanwhile, I'll keep this."Carpathos picked up the bag and drew the string over his head, tucking the pouch under his clothes.Ariadne sighed and shook her head, "I hope it does work."

~~***~~

"The Dominion Jewel is a very powerful magical artifact.Normally I'd have no trouble finding such a large concentration of power, but it seems that it is somehow shielded.I can't even find a shield strong enough to cover up that much magic," Numair explained.

"So you want me to search?" Taro asked drawing up a few strands of his power from a veritable sea of white fire.

"Only if you are strong enough, we don't want to risk you harming yourself or burning yourself out by using too much magic," the king cautioned gently.

"Do you think you can help us?" Numair asked.

"First I need to know what the Jewel 'feels' like, its power," Taro said calling up more magic.The Lioness offered a hand, he took it and felt her experience with the Jewel's power.next he got an impression from the king.When that was done, without saying a word he leaped down into his magic and threw it out across the city.He threw out a seeking spell that covered Corus like a blanket.At once he could since the dozens and dozens of spells at work in the bustling city but he couldn't find the Jewel.So he added a spell to look past any kind of shielding he knew.Still he found nothing.Finally, as one last effort, he poured in more power to briefly stop all protective spells in the entire city to find the stone.

And there it was.Shining brightly with magic in his consciousness.Carefully, Taro replaced all existing spells, making sure he could still see the Jewel's power.Finally he wrapped a tendril of his white fire around the artifact and drew himself up out of his power.

Opening his eyes he found that the King, his Champion and her Squire had all left.Only Numair was still there, pacing.When he noticed that Taro had opened his eyes he collapsed into a chair, "Thank Mithros.Don't you ever do that again! Do you realize that three hours have passed! I thought you'd used yourself up when we couldn't get you to come out of your magic."

Taro stared for a moment, other than being a bit stiff he was fine, "I'm okay, I didn't use up all my power, I've got plenty left.I found the Jewel."

Numair, who had been about to say something, gaped at him in disbelief, "You found the Dominion Jewel?"Taro nodded.Numair closed his eyes.A few minutes later he opened them, "I still can't feel the Jewel."Taro looked down his magical rope and saw the stone, glowing as strong as ever.

"I can feel it," Taro took Numair's hand and showed him the rope of power and the Jewel that sat in its lasso. 

"Well, that certainly is the Dominion Jewel.But, why can you feel it and not me?" Numair mused to himself.Taro shrugged, and heard his stomach give a loud growl.

Numair glanced at him, "Pardon me, you do need to eat and rest yourself, I know you must be exhausted after such a great working."

Taro shook his head, "I'm fine, only hungry," he answered honestly.Numair looked at him for a moment then stood and walked over to him, "Would you allow me to examine you, I would not be able to forgive myself if I didn't make sure you were in perfect health after what you have done for us."Taro nodded.Numair put a hand on each shoulder and Taro could feel his magic doing its work.

Numair abruptly broke contact and scrutinized Taro very carefully, "You're right, your store of power is still very high," Taro stood to leave, but Numair was still looking at him.

"What is it?"Taro asked, wondering if Numair might actually be jealous of his powers.

"Give me your hand," Numair said, stretching out his own.Taro did so and found Numair leading him down inside the source of his own (Taro's ) power.Under the sea of the white gift sat a lake of copper fire._Try and draw some out_. Taro heard Numair say.He tried, nothing happened.The lake of copper fire was frozen out of Taro's reach.

Numair and Taro both emerged from his power.

"Did you know you had wild magic Taro?" Numair asked.

"No, I did not.How could I? I obviously can't use it," Taro justified seeing Numair's skeptical look.

"Yes, that is very strange.I wonder if…"

The door opened and the King walked in.

"Any luck?" he asked pensively.

"Yes your Majesty, I was able to find the Jewel," Taro said to his monarch.Stretching forth one hand he showed the king the magic rope leading to the stone.

"Wondrous Goddess," breathed Jonathan, "is there any way to figure out exactly who or where it is?"

"I don't know, sire."

"Ah, Taro, you've done enough for us already.The crown is grateful for your service.Since you are still the only one who has the ability to feel the stone we will require your assistance tomorrow." Taro knew a dismissal when he heard it and bowed as he left the chambers.

~~***~~

So what do you think?Please review!


	4. Meeting New People, Seeing Old Faces

"Malvina, carry these baskets and follow me. I'm going to call on the new Tortallan ambassadors," Tamana ordered that afternoon. Obviously, the ambassadors were already there, the gossip only traveled slowly. Malvina sighed and picked up the two baskets, overflowing with welcome gifts, fruits, incense, jewels, cloths, and such, and somehow managed to balance on against each hip. Tamana had prepared them to give to the ambassadors, hopefully before the other maidens had a chance to deliver their gifts. They arrived shortly at the ambassador's suite in the east wing of the palace. Tamana knocked on the door and a short man with a red face and brown stubby hair opened the door.  
  
"May I help you?" he asked, almost out of breath.  
  
"I come with welcome gifts for the royal ambassadors of Tortall, Lady Margaret and Sir Tokon of Wellam. "  
  
"Please come in, I am Tokon." The man ushered them inside. Malvina barely held in a laugh at Tamana's reaction. From the look on her face, she had thought that this man was a servant! However, Tamana recovered quickly, "I am Tamana, daughter of minister Linshu."  
  
"Very pleased to make your acquaintance, lady Tamana." Sir Tokon bowed.  
  
"Where might I have my servant place these gifts?" Tamana asked after returning his bow with a curtsy.  
  
"Please, follow me," they did, into the next room. Malvina breathed in the pleasing smell of books as she looked at the many shelves.  
  
"Malvina," Tamana said sharply, dragging her attention from the multitude of books, "place the baskets on the table."  
  
Tokon, who had been gazing at a map on the wall, turned quickly and stared at Malvina. She self-consciously bowed her head, her long blond hair falling over her shoulder[i], and placed her burdens on the indicated table. The next moment a woman, a full head taller than Sir Tokon, swept into the room. She was introduced as Lady Margaret.  
  
Tamana was invited to have a cup of tea. She accepted telling Malvina to leave. "Malvina, I will return in an hour's time and I expect my clothes for tonight to be ready," she instructed. Malvina bowed to her mistress and to the ambassadors, but as she was turning she caught a surprised glance Lady Margaret shot at her husband and the small nod he gave in return. Puzzling over their reactions she did as directed by her mistress.  
  
  
  
~~*~~  
  
Carpathos was nervous. He sat at a table in a far corner of the Dancing Dove, alone, waiting for Myles to appear. He was later than usual. Carpathos grasped his mug, ignoring the raucous laughter at the other end of the room. Finally he saw Myles enter. Quickly he stood and walked over to intercept the knight's path, before he could go to his regular spot.  
  
"Carpathos!" he said with surprised pleasure, "I haven't seen you or Ariadne in a while."  
  
"Myles, please come sit with me," he said, trying, without success, to cover up his urgency.  
  
"Certainly," Myles said, slightly startled.  
  
Carpathos grabbed his elbow and just about dragged Myles back to his table.  
  
"Are you okay Carpathos?" Myles asked quietly.  
  
"I need to talk to you privately. Can I meet you at your town house in one hour?"  
  
Myles just stared at him.  
  
"Please, Myles, I'll explain everything to you then." Carpathos practically begged.  
  
"Okay, one hour. But Carpathos…" but Carpathos had already left.  
  
  
  
"So?" asked Ariadne as Carpathos walked in the door.  
  
"I asked him if I could meet him in an hour, well, 30 minutes now, at his town house."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, I wasn't about to bring out the Dominion Jewel in the middle of the Dancing Dove!" Carpathos said defensively.  
  
Ariadne had gone pale. "Didn't you look around you before you came in?" she hissed, "Men of the King's Own have been patrolling the streets since dusk, and a notice was just read, curfew is in 15 minutes!"  
  
"Oh, no. That can't be true!" Carpathos stammered.  
  
"Yes, it is. I think they're searching for the stone!" Ariadne said.  
  
"Well, I'll try and slip out now then, before curfew," Carpathos was really getting nervous now. What if he didn't have a chance to tell Myles? What if they found him with the Dominion Jewel? Quickly he walked back outside and, just as quickly, found that the street was blocked off by two of the King's Own, armed, at each intersection. Everyone was being sent back into their homes. Carpathos returned, pale and panicky, to the house.  
  
Half an hour later the house by house search reached their home. A knock came, "Open, in the name of the king!" a voice commanded.  
  
Ariadne quickly opened and three men of the king's Own entered. One soldier searched upstairs, one searched the downstairs, and the third ordered Ariadne and Carpathos to empty their pockets, removing everything except their clothing. Finding nothing, the man upstairs returned to his partners.  
  
Carpathos was almost ready to think they'd get off free, that these men wouldn't find the stone, when one spoke up, "Take that from around your neck also," indicating the string the leather pouch was on. Carpathos sighed, resigned to his fate. With three armed men in the house and even more on the street outside, running was not an option; he'd most likely get killed. He slowly handed the pouch to one of the men and immediately bowed his head in submission. The man, startled at this boy's behavior quickly checked the contents of the bag and immediately drew his sword, in case of any resistance, "By order of the King, you are under arrest for stealing the Dominion Jewel." At that moment, the man who had been searching the downstairs found the stolen travel bags, containing Numair Salmalin's papers and other possessions. He quickly walked out of the house and brought back reinforcements, accompanied by, Carpathos noticed, Lord Raoul himself.  
  
In minutes Ariadne and Carpathos found themselves shackled and marching down the street, escorted by two dozen of the King's Own. Carpathos was absolutely terrified. They'd never believe it had been a mistake, or that he had meant to return the jewel.  
  
As the procession made its way through the lower city, more men joining the ranks at each intersection, Ariadne caught a glimpse of Sir Myles. She slowed and tried to catch his eyes, she succeeded. His eyebrows shot up in surprise at the entourage and he quickly guided the horse he was riding over to Lord Raoul. The two held a short conversation in which Raoul quickly told him that Carpathos had been arrested in possession of the Dominion Jewel.  
  
They were led to the Citadel and into a cell with two cots and a lamp sitting on the floor. The door was closed and locked, a sentry standing guard.  
  
"Now see where this has gotten us!" Ariadne was almost hysterical.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll tell them that I stole it, you didn't do anything wrong. They'll let you go," Carpathos answered with more confidence than he had.  
  
~~*~~  
  
It was mid-morning but the sun was already beating down on the pages in the training yards; it was unusually warm for fall. Taro was waiting his turn at the quintain when he saw Sir Myles walk over to Lord Wyldon. The training master's face went red and he yelled "Taro of Wellam." Taro trotted over quickly.  
  
"Leave your horse, the servants will take care of it. Go with Sir Myles." Taro could tell that Lord Wyldon did not like interrupting the training session.  
  
Following the knight into the castle, Taro wondered what it was this time.  
  
"Ah, Taro, there you are," Numair said as Myles led him to the causeway entrance that led to the Citadel, "I assume you want to come also Myles?"  
  
"Yes. I know he boy."  
  
"Who are we talking about?" asked Taro.  
  
"The boy who stole the Dominion Jewel. It was found last night, but the young man refuses to talk and, for some reason, neither my truth spells nor the king's seem to work on him. I remember what you said, that he might be immune to magic, but you were able to break through his spells and find the stone before, you might be able to help now." Numair explained as the trio walked into the fortress.  
  
A few minutes later they were in a cell that was occupied by the king, Lord Raoul and one prisoner. "Page Taro, thank you, I believe you can help us," Lord Raoul said.  
  
"Wait a minute, where is Ariadne?" Myles asked.  
  
"She had nothing to do with this," spoke up the boy, who looked like he had Bazhir ancestors, "I promised that I'd cooperate if he let her go."  
  
"Page Taro, I will need you to do a truth spell." The king started.  
  
The prisoner spoke up, "I said I'd cooperate if you let Ariadne go. You don't need to use a truth spell."  
  
"Well then," the King said in an icy tone, "tell me why the Dominion Jewel was found on your person."  
  
"I didn't mean to steal it! I meant to return it, that's why I asked Sir Myles if I could talk to him at his town house; I was going to give it to him to give it to you. Do you think I want you dethroned by some tyrant, like Ozorne, who gets his hands on that?"  
  
"Myles?" the King asked.  
  
"It's true, sire, that he asked to speak to meet me at my house. When he didn't come I went to his house, because he had seemed so desperate to speak to me. I came across them as Raoul was escorting them here."  
  
"What do you know of Ozorne, boy?" Numair asked.  
  
"I know he was a tyrant. I lived in his kingdom for seven years as a slave, until I escaped with the help of your own Lindhall Reed. Too bad I didn't get to see him die and his castle crumble. And I'm not called 'boy,' I do have a name, it's Carpathos, for your information."  
  
Page Taro, whom everyone had forgotten was in the room, started having a coughing fit. Myles turned, concerned, "Something wrong?"  
  
"Your highness, may I ask what your ruling is in this matter?" Taro said, ignoring the odd looks he was getting for his fit.  
  
The King studied the dark boy and then sighed, "I believe his story that he meant to return the Jewel, but the matter of the thievery still remains. I set a fine at five gold nobles, to be paid before he is released from prison."  
  
Carpathos' heart dropped. He didn't have that kind of money, not since they had re-confiscated Master Numair's belongings.  
  
"Sire, I would like to pay the fine for Carpathos." Taro said.  
  
Everyone, including Carpathos, stared at him.  
  
"Might I inquire as to the reason why, Page Taro?"  
  
"Yes, I owe Carpathos all that I can give him. His brother saved my life three years ago. I'm sure my parents told you the story about how I was in the castle when it collapsed."  
  
"You…you know where Wiglafan is?" Carpathos jumped up.  
  
Numair, who remembered the story quite well, frowned, "Wiglafan…died saving Taro's life in the castle that night."  
  
Taro solemnly nodded his head.  
  
----------------------- [i] I know, in the books the slaves are bald (at least I think they are) but Malvina is not, she has long blond hair. 


End file.
